...they would start selling 1080p plasmas to the public in a couple weeks. The plasma on display is unbelievable to me. I can't see any faults with the picture.
Yeah, but tough to get a good case with a belt clip for it!
I know that it's been said many times already, but...
...it is truly astounding how little Verizon sales people know, and how willing they are to BS!
I was visiting a business that is next door to a Verizon Wireless store today, and decided to add to my frustration level by going in and asking questions about the i760. I spoke to 4 different sales people, and asked what was coming down the pike in the PDAPhone arena.
I was both pleased and surprised that all 4 had heard of the i760 (they all also mentioned the Blackberry 8800). However, when I asked about release dates for the i760, I got the typical crap: 4 different answers. One rep said that it "might be out in June-July", another said "this summer", a third said "3rd quarter", and the last said "4th quarter". And of course, each of the four made their pronouncements as if they had the inside scoop. I suppose that I should be happy that they agreed on 'sometime this year'!
Sigh... pretty much what I expected, but still frustrating.
As most know, Apple's iPhone received FCC Equipment Authorization on Thurs, May 17th (the file was initially submitted to the FCC on Mar 9th).
iPhone's approval isn't very significant by itself--we all knew FCC action was imminent. What's noteworthy (and frightening) about iPhone's FCC cameo is a perverse paragraph of Apple's confidentiality request letter, dated Mar 8th.
(Note: Apple is requesting a 45-day info embargo on the four usual suspects: Test Setup Pics; External Pics; Internal Pics; and User Manual.)
From Apple's remarkable letter, let's now read aloud, shall we?
Although Apple has begun to market the device publicly, these documents reveal technical and design information that has not been publicly disclosed in such marketing and that is protected by Apple as confidential and proprietary trade secrets. This information has been disclosed to those required to maintain its confidentiality, and is not customarily disclosed publicly prior to the commercial release of a device. As a result, disclosure of this information by the Commission prior to the commercial release would harm Apple by giving competitors an unfair market advantage. Apple believes the period of confidentiality requested is necessary to protect the information until the commercial release of the device.
There you have it, iPhish 2.0. Hey FCC, do you G-Men actually read these letters?! By staking its confidentiality claim while actively marketing the device, Apple is attempting to twist, corrupt and rewrite FCC rules. As we've previously cited and discussed, the FCC clearly denies confidentiality upon commencement of 'marketing' activity. There's no wiggle room in this provision, and there's nothing to negotiate.
Now, if Apple's allowed this shameless hijack, every device-maker will play the ruse.
Folks, our right to transparency (and especially, User Manuals) is threatened here. Whether Samsung, Apple or "Smartshoephone" (Maxwell Smart, Get Smart, ca 1965), we can't let it happen.
Apple's larcenous gambit should serve as a call to arms for radioheads of every flavor. Theft of the public trust is unforgivable corporate piracy. Time to march on Washington (see Sticky)...
I have a lot of respect for your knowledge in this area, but I must admit that I don't follow why we should be so angry. I understand that the FCC may be allowing the manufacturers to stretch the rules in place, but I don't understand why it's our inherent right to read the user manuals and know about the inner mechanics of the phone before the phone is even being sold. Why do we have a "right to transparency?" From a business perspective, I can understand why it's important to keep this information confidential. I'm sure Apple has spent years developing the technology, and I'm sure they don't want another manufacturer ripping off their technology before they even have a chance to sell it. As far as I'm concerned, I applaud Apple for actually marketing a PDA and telling us when the release date will be. If a manufacturer was required to cease and desist marketing to preserve confidentiality, would we really be in a better place? Again, you understand this area a lot better than I do, so perhaps you can enlighten me.
You're correct about a vendor's need to protect its IP. (And while Samsung may be misguided, this is why you don't yet see the i760 at the Experience showroom.) As to transparency, you raise a fair question. Let's examine it.
This controversy is not some sort of Left vs. Right socio-political-religious-legal struggle (e.g., abortion) or a Napster/LimeWire-RIAA-college student drama. It's about a fundamental principle of accountability.
The concept for the FCC Equipment Authorization filing database is simple. As RF spectrum is a scarce public resource (although fortunately, non-depleting), radio devices are subject to regulation. Regulation covers, in various ways, products that emit, receive or transmit RF--and governs those who utilize spectrum for any application.
The specific regulations cited in the link below describe the terms of confidentiality to which a handset-maker may be entitled; we've discussed confidentiality at some length in the past. Confidentiality is what protects a vendor from premature disclosure of proprietary information.
The filing database is the public record. Transparency refers to the public's right to access this record as intended.
Now, the FCC's Short-Term Confidentiality provision allows a vendor to withhold access to a product's user manual, among other assets, prior to public marketing. But if a vendor commences such activity, it's obliged to remove the privacy lock and allow public access--as provided in the regs. The FCC's policy is very clear. If a vendor objects, it can lobby for change, but it cannot, as Apple is attempting, have it both ways or revise the regs at will.
One thing is certain: There is no information in iPhone's (or i760's) user manual that, if disclosed at the time of FCC approval, could possibly compromise Apple's IP. No manuals would ever contain privileged material or anything of useful competitive value. This tempest is simply about control.
Actually, most of what a consumer needs to know about this product was announced in Jan by Jobs himself. Almost everything we've learned since was leaked by Apple (Samsung) itself. While consumers could benefit from access to a manual prior to release, this isn't really the main event. It's that Apple (Samsung) is corrupting the FCC's rules. And it's a slippery slope. Once this maneuver becomes industry-standard, what's next? The door is open to a cascade of deceptive practices and public abuse.
As another example of predatory corporate behavior, consider VZW's "Unlimited" data claim in the face of its restricted, 5GB ToS. The jurisdiction for this particular insult is FTC as opposed to FCC, but the principle remains. And then there's wireless service as the largest consumer offering in world history without a warranty, subsidy-locking, ETFs, non-activation of 'foreign' devices, slipstreamed ToS changes (e.g., price hikes), crippled feature sets and so much more. There is no honor in the game.
It all comes down to this: We can't tolerate holes in the dike. If device-makers and carriers are permitted to hatch their own rules under a cloak of darkness, the public is denied accountability, a Constitutional precept.
Which leads to a question. Why, for 41 years, have video screens been the only rectangular product whose marketing is based on diagonal measurement?
Even if you're not interested in having access to the manuals, etc., the point is that the law clearly states that the FCC honors requests for confidentiality up until the point when marketing activities begin. Apple is flaunting the law in this case because they admit to marketing while simultaneously invoking confidentiality!
So, we (the public) should be outraged simply because of Apple's clear disregard for the law... whether we care about the manuals or not!
....about the SAMSUNG I760..... Has anyone checked the VZW test website for the thumbnail photos yet? I think it took about 2 weeks from those photos appearance on the test site to the phone release.
Even if you're not interested in having access to the manuals, etc., the point is that the law clearly states that the FCC honors requests for confidentiality up until the point when marketing activities begin. Apple is flaunting the law in this case because they admit to marketing while simultaneously invoking confidentiality!
So, we (the public) should be outraged simply because of Apple's clear disregard for the law... whether we care about the manuals or not!
It could very well be that Apple (Samsung) is/are very large companies and there are different departs for advertising and filings. These departments may not communicate with each other. Still doesn't make it right.........
__________________
VZW, It's 2009! Time to embrace technology, not suppress it. - oops too late I've moved on over to the iPhone w/ AT$T!
It could very well be that Apple (Samsung) is/are very large companies and there are different departs for advertising and filings. These departments may not communicate with each other. Still doesn't make it right.........
I agree it doesn't make it right. In fact it pissed me off enough to complain to the FCC today. I posted my letter in the FCC sticky...
__________________
-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links
Even if you're not interested in having access to the manuals, etc., the point is that the law clearly states that the FCC honors requests for confidentiality up until the point when marketing activities begin. Apple is flaunting the law in this case because they admit to marketing while simultaneously invoking confidentiality!
So, we (the public) should be outraged simply because of Apple's clear disregard for the law... whether we care about the manuals or not!
I just re-read my post, and realized that I had used the wrong word. I meant to use 'flouting' (meaning 'showing contempt for a law or convention by openly disobeying or defying it'), not 'flaunting' (which means 'to display something ostentatiously').
Actually, in the case of Sammy, you're probably quite right. You get the sense that its confidentiality request is mostly force of habit.
In Apple's case, nah. Jobs & Co. thought it through and concluded it should attempt to pull off at least 45 days' worth of privacy based on a letter that wouldn't be read by mrailing. Oops!
Actually, in the case of Sammy, you're probably quite right. You get the sense that its confidentiality request is mostly force of habit.
In Apple's case, nah. Jobs & Co. thought it through and concluded it should attempt to pull off at least 45 days' worth of privacy based on a letter that wouldn't be read by mrailing. Oops!
Ignorance is bliss...
--BAM
No one would have time to care if Verizon would just release the damn phone!!!
PS GO JAZZ!!!
Last edited by brassMONKEY : 05-20-2007 at 07:20 AM.
....about the SAMSUNG I760..... Has anyone checked the VZW test website for the thumbnail photos yet? I think it took about 2 weeks from those photos appearance on the test site to the phone release.
Mark
Did you see the thumbnails? I just visited the testman site and didn't see any. Am I missing it?
Verizon's Testman Site
But now that I think about, I feel like they're using testman a little differently lately. The PN-820 popped up on testman about a month before it came out, and usually testman has placeholder spots for the "dumb" phones before their release. But lately they've changed things up a bit, including the fact that you can't enter 99999 as a zip code anymore, which someone on here or HoFo mentioned was due to them making testman more secure during changes, or something like that. Recently, the real VZW site took the i730 down before testman did, which I thought was odd since testman used to be a little ahead of the game.
And with Verizon's newfound strictness on leaks and upcoming phone details, it wouldn't surprise me if we didn't see the i760 show up on testman until after some kind of formal announcement is made.
I tried a few combinations like 12345, 1111 and nothing worth noting. We should start hearing some stuff a few weeks before it hits and with the other pda getting pulled from the site that should mean "pretty soon" we should start hearing some action.
So, I finally registered. I've been keeping tabs on this thread --and this phone -- since January. I won't comment on much, right now, but I will say you guys and gals have a good thing goin' over here. I'm happy to come along for the ride.
Hopefully, when/if, my .NET talents get better, i can assist with additional programing on the i760; or at the very least design aspects.
My current pda, and has been since 2002, is the SPH-i700. I've loved every minute of using it, but it's in serious need of retirement.
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